@article{fdi:010082145,
  title = {{M}aize-cowpea intercropping as an ecological intensification option for low input systems in sub-humid {Z}imbabwe : productivity, biological {N}-2-fixation and grain mineral content},
  author = {{N}amatsheve, {T}. and {C}hikowo, {R}. and {C}orbeels, {M}. and {M}ouquet {R}ivier, {C}laire and {I}card-{V}erni{\`e}re, {C}hrist{\`e}le and {C}ardinael, {R}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{P}oor soil fertility and erratic rainfall constrain crop production in rain-fed smallholder farming systems in sub-{S}aharan {A}frica. {I}ntegration of drought tolerant and {N}-2-fixing crops into maize-based cropping systems is a risk-averse strategy that also improves nitrogen cycling. {A} field experiment was carried out during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 cropping seasons in {G}oromonzi district in {Z}imbabwe. {T}he trials were established on 14 farms, and on two field types (homefields and outfields), with eight treatments from a combination of cropping systems (maize and cowpea monocrops or maize/cowpea intercrops) and with or without nitrogen fertilizer (+{N}; -{N}). {T}he trials were implemented on the same field plots for the two consecutive seasons. {A}n improved cowpea variety and a landrace were used. {T}he objectives were to determine 1) the productivity of the different cropping systems under variable soil fertility conditions, 2) {N}-2-fixation of the two cowpea types when planted as monocrops or intercrops, and 3) mineral composition of maize and cowpea grains from intercrops and sole crops. {C}ontrary to expected results, soil properties were not significantly different ({P} > 0.05) between field types. {T}he land equivalent ratios ({LER}) were >1 for both seasons, implying improved land productivity under intercropping. {I}ntercropping significantly reduced cowpea nodulation and active nodules, but not the total nodule weight, resulting in similar proportion of nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (%{N}dfa) for cowpea grown as monocrop or in intercropping with maize. {H}owever, the total amount of fixed nitrogen was reduced in intercropping systems due to the smaller cowpea biomass compared to monocropping. {M}aize and cowpea grain mineral contents ({F}e, {Z}n, {M}n, {C}u, {C}a, {M}g, {P}, {K}) were significantly affected by the cropping season only. {W}e showed that intercropping maize with cowpea generally increases system productivity, in addition to substantial amounts of nitrogen being added to the system through {N}-2-fixation. {H}owever, intercropping was not an agronomic biofortification option in these nutrient-depleted soils. {F}inally, annual variation in grain mineral quality can be larger than the annual variation in grain yield, potentially posing serious challenges to human nutrition.},
  keywords = {{C}rop yield ; {L}and equivalent ratio ; {M}icronutrients ; {S}mallholder farms ; {S}oil fertility gradients ; {ZIMBABWE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}ield {C}rops {R}esearch},
  volume = {263},
  numero = {},
  pages = {108052 [12 p.]},
  ISSN = {0378-4290},
  year = {2021},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.fcr.2020.108052},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010082145},
}